Air pistol or gun.



G. NORMAN.

AIR PISTOL OR GUN.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 1'1, 1912.

1,043,534, Patented Nov. 5, 1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

WITNESSES ATTORNEY INVENTOR COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH co vmSmNu'mN. 0.1:

G. NORMAN.

AIR PISTOL 0B. GUN.

APPLICATION nun MAY 17, 1912.

Patented Nov. 5, 1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

|NVENTOR GEORGE NORM/I WITNESSES UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE NORMAN, 0F BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND, ASSIGNORTO THE BIRMINGHAM SMALL ARMS COMPANY LIMITED, OF BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND.

AIR PISTOL OR GUN.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed May 17, 1912.

Patented Nov. 5, 1912.

Serial No. 697,969.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE NORMAN, a subject of Great Britain and Ireland, residing at 322 Mansel road, Small Heath, Birmingham, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in and Relating to Air Pistols or Guns, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in air pistols or guns, and has for itsobject to provide a new or improved construction and arrangement of gun barrel, cylinder, air piston and actuating spring, in which compactness, strength and efiiciency are obtalned.

The invention consists in providing a central barrel mounted concentrically within an outer annular chamber or cylinder, with interposed hollow sliding air piston or plunger and actuating spring.

The invention also comprises an improved arrangement of loading device and other details of construction as hereinafter described.

In order that my invention may be readily understood and carried into elfect I will more fully describe same with the aid of th accompanying drawings in which:

Figures 1 and 2 show respectively a longitudinal vertical section and a side elevation of one form of air pistol constructed in accordance with and embodying the features of this invention, showing the mechanism in its cocked position ready for discharge. Fig. 3 represents a transverse sectional view taken on line AB of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is another longitudinal sectional view showing the position the sliding plunger assumes after the weapon has been discharged. Fig. 5 is a longitudinal horizontal section taken on line EF, Fig. 2. Fig. 6 shows various detail disassembled views of the loading plug and its lock nut and spring.

Like numerals of reference indicate the same thing or part throughout the several figures of the drawings.

According to the embodiment of this invention as shown in the drawings, the barrel 1 is mounted concentrically within a cylinder 2 which in the case of a pistol preferably extends from near the muzzle end of the barrel to a position beyond its breech end. WVithin the said cylinder is fitted a hollow air piston or plunger 3, which slidably embraces or surrounds the breech end 1* of the barrel 1, the latter being provided with a suitable washer l to form an air tight connection or gland between the said parts. The outer end 3 of the hollow piston or plunger is. closed, and thus constitutes an air tight chamber beyond the end 1 of the barrel 1. To the inner end of the said piston 3 is fitted a, cap or sleeve 5, adapted to slidably engage with the external diameter of the barrel 1., The said cap 5 may be secured in position by a bayonet joint connection, or it may be provided with screw threads engaging with internal screw threads formed in the inner end of the plunger. Between the said cap or sleeve 5, and the shoulder formed by the enlarged breech end 1 of the barrel 1, is placed the actuating spring 6, which in operation is adapted to force the piston 3 along the barrel 1 in the direction of the muzzle, thereby compressing the air between the closed end 3 of the said plunger and the breech end 1* of the barrel. The aforesaid outer cylinder 2 may be mounted upon a trigger guard and under body part 7, adapted to carry on an axis pin 8 a jointed pistol butt or stock 9 also in the said under body part 7 may be mounted the trigger and cooking mechanisms. To insure the constant alinement of the parts I provide a piston guide 10, which is fixed to the underbody 7 and engages with a longitudinal slot 11 in the underside of the said piston 3.

The loading device comprises a taper plug 12 mounted in a transverse horizontal taper recess formed in the breech end 1 of the barrel 1, and secured in position by a suitable washer 13 under which is placed a spring adapted to retain the loading plug in air tight" engagement with its socket. On the one outer end of the loading plug 12 is formed a handle or lever part 14- whereby it may be turned through one quarter of a revolution to bring the usual pellet chamber 15 formed therein either into alinement with the bore of the barrel or into vertical line with a charging aperture 16 formed in the outer cylinder 2 and the sliding air piston 3. The charging aperture 16 in the sliding piston 3 being so disposed that it comes into alinement with the loading plug 12when in its backward or cocked position.

The exterior of the loading plug 12 conforms to the exterior diameter of the barrel 1, as seen in Fig. 3, so as to permit of the piston 3 sliding freely over the said plug during its forward or firing stroke, and in the outer cylinder 2 is formed a cut-away gap or opening 17 around the handle 14 of the loading plug 12, and a similar gap or opening 18 is formed in the sliding piston 3 so disposed that the said opening 18 comes into alinement with the handle 14 of the loading plug 12 when the piston 3 is in its cocked position, as seen in Figs. 2, 3, and 5.

If desired the outer casing or cylinder 2 may be open at its rear or outer end and arranged to terminate at or near the breech end 1 of the barrel 1, in which case when the sliding piston 3 is in its cocked position its outer end 3 would protrude beyond the said open end of the casing 2; also it will be obvious that the invention readily lends itself to further modification in details of construction and arrangement without departing from its nature or scope.

Although I have described the invention more particularly in its application to an air pistol it will be obvious that it may be readily applied to an air gun, in which case the barrel would be lengthened or extended beyond the outer cylinder, and the position of the stock and cocking mechanism redisposed to suit the different arm.

Having fully described my invention, what I desire to claim and secure by Letters Patent is:

1. An air pistol or gun having the breech end of the barrel mounted within a fixed outer cylinder or casing with an interposed hollow piston or plunger which slidably embraces the barrel and is adapted to form an air chamber at the breech end thereof, the said sliding piston being moved in a forward direction over the breech end of the barrel by the piston spring and in a rearward direction by the cooking mechanism, substantially as described.

2. In an air pistol or gun, providing near the breech end of the fixed barrel a loading plug the handle of which conforms to the outer diameter of the barrel when the plug is in its loaded position to permit of the hollow piston or plunger sliding over the breech end of the barrel, also providing a hole or gap in the sliding piston which said hole assumes a position in alinement with the loading plug when the weapon is cocked and permits of the rotation of the loading plug, substantially as hereinbefore described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

GEORGE NORMA N.

l/Vitnesses:

ERNEST W. JONES, H. L. HART.

Copies oi thispatent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

